,Renaturalization of streams in Narew river basin in order to increase water retention is the main aim of this project managed by PTOP. Construction of 3 water dammings on Lutowna river , preparation of 5 further dammings from other sources of financing, preparation of technical and natural aspects of renaturalization of Malynka River and asssociated geodetic mapping are the main activities and results.
GEF/SGP secured extra money in project POL/00/16 for evaluation done by members of the Agreement for Wetlands (Polish abbreviation: PROM), established in 2000 informal network of NGOs, governmental and scientific institutions, individuals (researchers, naturalists, rangers), most of them involved in GEF/SGP projects implementation (also the Ecofund, WWF, IUCN) dealing with wetlands. Evaluation seminar was held on 15-17 November 2001 in Bialowieza National Park, place of POL/00/16 project intervention. Local authorities, National Park officers/rangers, foresters were invited as well.
First part of seminar dealt with various aspects of wetland protection projects, implemented by GEF/SGP grantees:
- Green Action Foundation from Legnica - active protection of Przemkow Wetland (previous , until 1992 - Russian military testing ground); it is unique example of CC convention "serving" BD convention - obligatory implementation of protection plan with utilisation of cut weeds from Przemkow Wetland for thached roofs in Germany (nearly 50% of total tonnage) and remaining lower quality weeds as energy resource used in Przemkow Landscape Park office boiler, replacing coal and generating substantial cash savings for the landscape Park.Office uses only 3-5% of remaining tonnage of weeds, so this form of energy replacing solid fuels still represents meaningful potential;
-OTOP from Gdank brought example of management of their reserves (not protected by the state law) in Beka near Gdansk and Karsiborska Kepa near Wolin Island (moving by volunteers and grazing by cattle);
- Biebrza National Park and PAZ (Workshop of Living Architecture) activities are similar to those of PTOP - again surpluses of biomass from surface to be cleared of bush, trees and grass/weed because of protection
plan for energy purposes bringing extra income to local farmers for services (moving and clearing, free of charge fuel);
- WWF - example of execution of protection plans in Biebrza National Park and its buffer zone.
All these presentations served as "lesson learned" and "information dissemination" part of seminar, before site visit, during which PTOP demonstrate in the field their approaches and methods in wetland protection with technical solutions (damming, dykes, etc etc). Main very hot discussion was taking place in all visited sites of PTOP intervention.
Next session was devoted to plans for 2002 and beyond for PROM; the last day was devoted to more political aspects of wetland protection in Poland with seminar organised by Institute for Environmental Protection about changes in RAMSAR criterion and repercusion for NGO activities and new potential reserves in Poland; wetland protecion in EU, EU Directive - information prepared by Warsaw Agricultural University, legal aspects of renaturalization - Center of Ecological law in Wroclaw, NATURA 2000 - Ministry for Environment, NATURA 2000 in Odra River Valley - WWF Poland.
Formula of participatoy evaluation bringing training-field visit-exchange of experiences from various parts of Poland proved to be excellent and very useful for all participants - Polish "elite" working on wetlands, meeting of people doing work in the field (active protection) and researchers concentrated on scientific research in a spirit of cooperation and dialoque. It is important especially in biodiversity field where it can be found a very big row between NGOs prefering active protection and scientists - prfering just research.
Idea of incorporation to GEF/SGP extra funds for such a field evaluation seminar proved to be a method to be copied in all biodiversity projects as "MUST". It was a real dialoque with a deep will to learn as much, to discuss detailed and more general methods of wetland protection.
It is important to know where seminar was held; Bialowieza National Park, permenent conflict in past 15 years on NP enlargament with prevailing spirit of confrontation (Government versus local community, versus NGOs; foresters versus Anational park, NGOs; some NGOs versus local community etc etc. PTOP proved that foresters-NGO cooperation is possible.